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Hockey and ice-skating enthusiasts in Florida can skate in style when the right building materials are selected. Insulated metal panels from Kingspan added aesthetic appeal and insulation value for a stable interior temperature at the five-rink Florida Hospital Center Ice in Wesley Chapel, Fla.

The initial design did not specify Kingspan panels, but Trident Building Systems, Sarasota, Fla., recommended a combination of Kingspan and Trident panels for all the walls and roof. This was done to meet the town requirement that a certain amount of any building’s exterior surface area be a different material or texture. Trident Building Systems engineered, fabricated and erected the structure, as well as installed the Kingspan insulated wall panels.

Like many previous projects, Trident was pleased with the product quality and support provided by the Kingspan team. “The Kingspan panels were capable of meeting the high demands of the project, and Kingspan was proactive in producing the product in a timely manner,” says Gary Bergstrom, business development and project manager for Trident. “It’s always beneficial for us to work with a company that can meet the schedule needs on our end. Also, their panels are competitively priced and are of utmost quality when there is a need for insulated wall panels.”

The massive 150,000-square-foot facility is sponsored by Florida Hospital, with additional sponsorship by Busch Gardens. The center features five rinks, a restaurant, pro shop, training facilities, locker rooms, offices and meeting rooms, party rooms, snack bar and fitness center. The Olympic-size rink has seating for 450 spectators, and the facility boasts extensive broadcast video and wireless Internet connectivity, entertainment projection and lighting systems.

Mark A. Jonnatti, president of Jonnatti Architecture Inc., Clearwater, Fla., says, “It took a lot of creativity to fit all the programmatic requirements and parking onto the relatively small site.”

Center Ice is composed of two metal buildings that are uniquely connected to make up for the site constraints. A large lobby with a dramatic staircase leads to a mezzanine level, which optimizes the area where the metal buildings meet. Metal is a key element of the design with exposed interior metal structural systems, which are complimented by both exterior and interior metal wall panels.

“The schedule was tight, and we needed systems that could be erected quickly and also would not use precious site area for staging during construction,” Jonnatti explains. “Metal was selected to accommodate the long spans required to house ice skating rinks. Kingspan panels in particular add energy efficiency.”

The ice center features about 23,000 square feet of 4-inch 300 Striated panels in Regal White. 300 Striated series panels create an architectural look with subtle shadows. The nearly flat profile has a linear appearance with striking aesthetic appeal and excellent thermal performance. The foamed-in-place manufacturing process produces superior panels of consistent high quality that arrive to site ready for quick and easy installation, saving up to 50% in on-site construction time.

With the help of Kingspan, Center Ice gives people a cool way to escape Florida’s hot, humid weather. They can skate or watch events in complete comfort at the largest indoor hockey facility south of New York City.

The Kingspan Group was founded in 1972 as a small family business in the Republic of Ireland. The Group was initially involved in manufacturing metal cladding and roll-formed structural sections. During the early 1980s and 1990s, the Group expanded into manufacturing insulated panels and insulation products and established manufacturing plants in the U.K., Ireland and throughout Europe. Kingspan entered the North American market in 2007, and in a few short years, it became the one of the largest volume sellers on the continent. Today, we reach a global market, with manufacturing, distribution and commercial operations throughout Europe, the United States, Australia, New Zealand and the Far East. See more at www.kingspanpanels.us.